Auxiliary inking mechanism



Aug. 18, 1936. J. R. DONOHUE 2,051,135

AUXILIARY INKING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 15, 1935 {Sheets-Sheet 1 I f 1926/ 4 l JweMzfiZ/we Aug. 18, 1936. J. R. DONOHUE AUXILIARY INKING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 15, 1933 5 Sheets-Sh'et 5 moooonwovoooo Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUXILIARY INKING MECHANISM Application September 15, 1933, Serial No. 689,636

8 Claims.

. This invention relates to a device for inking an occasional page or two in a color other than black on thekind of press now used in printing ordinary newspapers.

The principal objects of theinvention are to provide such an inking device which can be attached easily to the presses now used in ordinary newspaper work so as to permit the printing of one or more pages in a. separate color without employing the elaborate multicolor presses now in use; to provide a small reservoir or fountain of ink adapted to be placed on the unit in a simple and convenient manner to supply ink to the inking system; to provide simple and convenient means for disconnecting the regular black ink supply from the inking system without removing the ink from the regular black ink fountain or disturbing the fountain; to provide the additional inking device with adjustable openings through which the ink drips on a roll of the regular ink train so as to furnish a different ink to one page width of the web that runs through the press unit; to provide aconstruction which can be removed in a simple manner and cleaned easily; to provide means for cutting off the flow completely from the auxiliary inking device when the press is stopped or to restrict it to compensate for a lower speed press; to provide a form of pet cock for the auxiliary inking device in which the delivery opening is divided into a plurality of small apertures to enable the ink to be fed and distributeda drop at a time and avoid the application of larger portions of ink to the paper; to provide an improved means for breaking up and distributing the ink from the auxiliary fountain as it is applied to a roll of the inking mechanism, and to provide a simple and convenient device to span the .gap between black and white printing and a full multicolor press, whereby one or more pages of color may be printed in a regular newspaper product without disturbing the ink in the regular ink fountain by the simple attachment of a portable fountain which effectively performs its function for the short periods desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is an end view of a printing couple showing the regular ink motion and the application of one form of this invention thereto;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of a. part of the fountain showing the mechanism for raising and lowering the fountain roll;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the feeding pet cock on the line 4-'-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan of the pet cock and op- 5 erating means shown closed;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6'6 of Fig. 5 shown in the same position and illustrating the pet cocks open indotted lines;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modifica- 10 tion;

Fig. 8 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view thereof;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. '7 showing another modification; and 1 Fig. 11 is an elevation of the same looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 10.

The printing of colored pages in a regular newspaper is a development that is increasing at the present time. One of the drawbacks which 20 prevents many of the small newspapers from adopting it is the necessity for an elaborate equipment such, as the multicolor press now on the market. This invention takes a place between the straight black and white newspaper 5 press and the multicolor press so that one or more pages can be provided with an additional color without materially changing the black and white ink fountain used or changing the rest of the black and white product. 3

The invention is shown .as applied to one type of black and white press and, of course, is capable, without modification, of being applied to the other types of presses which now are unable to produce a newspaper with one or more pages in color and the rest of it in black and white.

By reference to the drawings, ,it will be seen that a well known type of press is illustrated capable of printing in one color only, such as is almost invariably used in newspaper work for printing in black and white. It has the usual impression cylinder l and plate cylinder 2 carrying the plates P. Form rolls 3 place ink on the plates and they receive it from the ink drum 4. Distributors 5 bear against the ink drum and .45 distribute ink thereon. A transfer roller 6 contacts with the ink drum 4 and pick up roll I. A fountain roller 8 supplies the pick up roll 'I with its ink from the usual fountain 9 in the ordinary way. Thus, in ordinary printing, the ink is brought up from the fountain 9 to the fountain roller 8, regulated by the usual blade l0, and carried up by the pick up roller and the rest-of the ink train to the plates P. 4

Although it was stated that an ordinary foune tain was used, an additional feature is provided.

The fountain roller 8 and blade Ill are supported upward motion of these lugs due to the springs is controlled by a worm wheel IS on each one threadedly mounted on a stationary screw l6 and meshing with a worm II. By turning these two worms, either separately or connecting them and operating them together through a square carried on its end and a handle fitting it, both worm wheels will be rotated to move the lugs I4 down or to allow them to move up and come under the action of the spring. Normally the spring moves the fountain roller 8 into such position that there is only a slight clearance between it and the pick up roll so that the latter will pick up the ink from the fountain roll. When, however, itis desired not to transfer ink from the fountain roll to the pick up roll, the worms are rotated in such a manner than the lugs H are forced down until the fountain roll is sufficiently far away from the pick up roll to prevent the transfer of ink.

A rod mounted in brackets IS on the press frame. This rod provides supports for two brackets 20 at the opposite ends of a guard 2| which extends across the machine. Likewise a guard 22 is supported.

v The normal way in which these guards are located when the black ink is running is shown in Fig. 1 with the guard 2| in full lines and the guard 22 in dotted lines. They prevent the ink from being thrown off by the inking system to one side. When, however, it is desired to use the auxiliary fountain the guard 22 is raised and placed in the upper full line position shown in Fig. 1.

The auxiliary ink fountain 23 previously mentioned may contain the color which is desired and applied to one or two pages of the press and is provided with hooks 24 for hanging it on the rod I8. It also carries a lower projection 25 on each end to bear against a rod 26 extending across the frame and rigidly secured in brackets 21 on the press frame.

The fountain is shown as having an open top to facilitate its refilling during operation and is provided with a distributor plate 29 bolted to the bottom and providing a mounting for a plurality of adjustable pet cocks 30, each adapted to be opened or closed individually, asshown.

In the construction as shown in Fig. 2 the fountain is illustrated as of one page width carrying two pet cocks per column. In this case, if the page has a width of eight columns, there will be sixteen pet cocks across it for distributing, but it will be understood, of course,.that this can be varied according to the conditions existing. Enough have to be supplied to permit adequate distribution of the ink.

It will be observed that the ink will be dripped by these pet cocks on the pick up roll I. When this auxiliary fountain is used, the fountain cocks. Also within this plate 29 is a longitudinally slidable cut ofl plate 3|, provided with ports '32 exactly as far apart as the ports 33 and sliding in the distributor plate. This plate 3| is pivotally connected by a stud 34 with a handle l8 extends across the frame and is 35 which is pivotally mounted on the distributor plate 29 or some stationary part of the fountain.

, It will be seen, therefore, that this cutoff plate can be manipulated to the full and dotted line positions shown in Fig. 6 to supply or cut off the 5 ink. Furthermore, if it is being used on a slow speed press it can be set at an intermediate point to deliver less than the full amount of ink.

In the modification shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 the same fountain 23 is employed, the only modification being that each pet cock is divided internally so that it delivers the ink through a plurality of small apertures 36. This permits the ink to be fed down through the pet cock and distributed a drop at a time at a plurality of dif-. ferent positions over one column width of page. In other words, a smaller flow is provided from each opening. A larger number of these openings is used to more fully distribute the ink on the pick up roll I and facilitate the proper distribution of 20 the ink throughout the ink system. 1

Another modification is shown in Figs. 10 and 11 where a similar fountain 23 is used in the same way as before but is provided with lower projections 31 bifurcated to permit their coop- 25 eration with the rod 26. Each projection 31 carries an extension 38, substantially horizontal in this case, on which is mounted a brush or brushes 39, the bristles of which bear against the pick up roll I. The nozzles are over this brush so that 30 the ink is delivered upon thepick up roll and the bristles of the brush bearing on the pick up roll break up andspread the drops of ink. This is another means for eliminating the tendency of heavy drops to be deposited on the-pick up roll 35 and further aids in the distribution of the ink. The brush is mounted by means of the extensions 38 at each end of the fountain so as not to interfere with the regulation of the pet cocks.

Thus a convenient and simple device is provided by which to span a gap between black and white printing and the full multicolor press so that one or more pages of color may be printed on an otherwise black product by the use of a very simple attachment suitable for use for short periods of time and easily removed and cleaned. It will be evident that this device is tobe used with a press running substantially at a constant speed. because the drip fountain would deliver a substantially constant quantity of ink regardless of the speed of the press. The amount of ink distributed by this drip fountain can be regulated as described above, for the purpose of applying the invention to a slow speed press but it cannot in this simple form, be regulated for any variations in the speed of the press. An automatic adjustment can be provided to control the flow of ink in accordance with variations in the speed of the press, but it is the purpose of this invention to provide a simple device which may be attached 0 to the press easily and easily removed without disturbing the ordinary features of the press. It is, of course, intended to be used rather infrequently so the necessary complications to make it automatic are not included herein. When the press is running with black ink only the attachment will usually be taken off entirely but that is not necessary as the guards 2| and 22 protect it from the ink of the black inking mechanism. v

Although. I have illustrated and described only three forms of the invention, I am aware of the fact that other modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish accuse which the fountain roll is mounted, said frame being movable to carry the fountain roll independently of the fountain either into ink-delivering or non-ink-delivering position, and independent means for supplying ink to the press.

2. In a printing press, the combination with a fountain, a fountain roll therein, a pick up roll and other inking rolls for transferring the ink from the pick up roll to the press, of means for moving the fountain roll away from the pick up roll so that it will not deliver ink thereto and an auxiliary fountain having means for delivering ink to supply a different color to the press.

3. The combination with an ink delivery system comprising a fountain, a fountain roll, means for moving the fountain roll into and out of ink-delivering position, and a pick up roll mounted in such position that normally the fountain roll engages it, of an auxiliary inking fountain having discharge cocks located in such position that the ink from the auxiliary fountain will be delivered on the surface of the pick up roll and means for controlling the supply of ink to said cocks.

4. The combination with an ink transfer system comprising a fountain roll and a pick up roll, of an auxiliary color fountain mounted on the frame of the ink transfer system and readily detachable therefrom and having a series of nozzles located adjacent to the surface of the pick up roll and in position to deliver color thereto.

5. An auxiliaryinking device for a printing press comprising a detachably mounted fountain,

nozzles to which the fountain is adapted to de.- 5

liver ink by gravity, each each having a separate port for communicating with the fountain and a slidable cut-off plate carried by said fountain having perforations at the same distance apart as said ports and adapted to be moved to a position either to open or close the 6. An auxiliary fountain for delivering colorto a printing press comprising a receptacle open at the top'for receiving ink and having nozzles at thelower end for distributing the ink therefrom by 15 gravity, said nozzles being each provided with a plurality of ink delivery apertures to insure the uniform distribution of the ink therefrom.

7. An auxiliary inking device for an inking system having a pick up roll, said inking device 2 comprising a fountain adapted to deliver the ink on the pick up roll, and means carried by said fountain for engaging the pick up roll for breaking up and spreading the drops of ink deposited thereon by the fountain.

'8. ,An auxiliary inking device for an inking system having an ink ca y il roll, said-auxiliary inking device comprising a fountain adapted to deliver the ink at the bottom by gravity onsaid roll, and a brush for engagingthe surface of said 30 roll and breaking up and spreading the drops of ink deliveredthereon by the fountain. JOSEPH R. DONOHUE. 

